The Songs, the Collaborators, the Cameos: A Complete Guide to 'Lemonade'

Beyoncé had us all aquiver when she announced, by way of a mysterious trailer, that she'd be dropping a new project called Lemonade this weekend on HBO. Now we've had a chance to see it; it's a visual album, like the astounding Beyoncé—and it was just as beautiful, powerful, and thought-provoking as we could have hoped.

There are twelve songs on the album, which is now available on Tidal, iTunes, and Amazon, and HBO broadcasted the stunning visual version. The phenomenal, utterly moving record takes us on a journey through betrayal, anger, love, strength, forgiveness, and family.

Here's a quick guide to Lemonade, in case you missed it.

The Tracklist

"Pray You Catch Me"

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The word "Intuition" flashes across the screen, and Beyoncé walks through tall greenery. The song begins with the line: "You can taste the dishonesty, it's all over your breath," and details a woman's suspicion about something going on behind her back.

"Hold Up"

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In this video, Beyoncé wears the floaty mustard Roberto Cavalli dress we saw in the teaser trailer. Our queen is swinging a baseball bat as she struts down the street. It's terrifying and amazing.

"Don't Hurt Yourself"

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"Don't Hurt Yourself" has a jagged rock edge and is the musical version of a steely raised eyebrow. Blonde cornrows and a giant fur complete one of B's most boss looks of the visual album. Key lyric: "Keep your money, I got my own."

"Sorry"

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The title of this song might be "Sorry," but Beyoncé isn't sorry at all. Sorry about that.

"6 Inch"

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The Weeknd brings his signature croon to this anthem about women who command attention and respect. The accompanying video ends by zooming out on Beyoncé at the end of a darkened, red hallway, clad in rich brocades and standing in front of a burning house. Goddamn.

"Daddy Lessons"

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Beginning in a dark forest echoing with the sound of birds, the video then cuts to a beautiful house where girls play in empty rooms: just one of the several gorgeous, moody transition shots throughout. And could those be home movies of baby Bey, looking just like Blue Ivy? Music-wise, country-tinged Beyoncé is a total treat in this song about fathers and daughters.

"Love Drought"

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Bey turns reflective in this electronic-meets-R&B groove, and the imagery of her walking across water accompanied by several women in identical filmy dresses is exquisite.

"Sandcastles"

Lemonade's major ballad is a breathtaking reflection on broken promises, and the video's intimate scenes of Beyoncé and Jay-Z only make it more captivating.

"Forward"

At just 1 minute and 19 seconds long, this song is the shortest on the album. Against its haunting musical backdrop, the video honors black lives lost to police violence and the grief of those who mourn them.

"Freedom"

Beyoncé delivers a blistering a cappella performance on an outdoor stage in this urgent song about breaking free.

"All Night"

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Finally, we discover what "lemonade" means to Beyoncé. She leads in to the final song with the story of a grandmother who passed strength and wisdom down through the generations—as well as the recipe for lemonade, a well-known symbol of bitterness turned sweet. It's an extraordinary, moving ending to an unforgettable piece of art.

"Formation"

Yes, this is the final song on Lemonade! It plays over the credits in the visual album. You already know what the video looks like, but obvs let's watch it again. And again.

The video for "All Night" is truly a family affair, with Beyoncé's parents, Jay-Z and a smiling, pregnant Bey, Blue Ivy, and Jay's grandmother, Hattie White, all making an appearance.

The Collaborators

Queen Bey harnessed the creative power of several diverse talents for Lemonade. The credits are over 3000 words, so it's safe to say there was plenty of collaboration. Here's who you can expect to hear.

In "Hold Up," Beyoncé sings, "They don't love you like I love you." Fans of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs will like the reggae nod to their 2003 song "Maps." B also brought indie stars Father John Misty and Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend) on board for writing duty.

That snarling growl you recognize in "Don't Hurt Yourself" is none other than ex-White Stripe Jack White. Watch him "shakin'" above.

"The Hard Way" singer-songwriter Wynter Gordon has three writing credits on B6, including on "Sorry."

"Freedom" features To Pimp a Butterfly superstar rapper Kendrick Lamar. Check out the video for his single "Alright."

We already know the The Weeknd pops up in "6 Inch," but this track also contains some musical Easter eggs, including a sample from experimental indie band Animal Collective's song "My Girls."

Taking most of the vocal duties on "Forward" is British electronic producer and musician James Blake.

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